Prez poll: MLAs in Bihar come in ambulance, PPE kit to vote

A total of 241 votes were cast by the members of Bihar Legislative Assembly, which has a strength of 243.

A BJP MLA in Bihar arrived in an ambulance while a JD(U) member came wearing a PPE kit to cast their votes during the polling for the election of the next President of India that took place on Monday, according to Legislative Assembly officials.

JD(U) MLA Damodar Rawat arrives in a PPE kit to cast his vote for the presidential election, at Bihar Legislative Assembly on Monday. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

A total of 241 votes were cast by the members of Bihar Legislative Assembly, which has a strength of 243.

The voting started at 10 am at the Bihar Vidhan Sabha and ended at 5 pm.

The sealed ballot boxes will be sent to Delhi by flight. The results will be announced on July 21. The contest is between NDA nominee Droupadi Murmu and UPA’s Yashwant Sinha.

BJP’s Subhash Singh did not vote as he is admitted in a hospital.

At present, the strength of Bihar assembly is 242 following the recent termination of the membership of RJD MLA Anant Singh due to his conviction and sentencing.

Each vote of an MLA carries a value of 173. NDA has a clear edge in the House.

Out of the 56 MPs from Bihar — 40 in Lok Sabha and 16 in the Rajya Sabha — NDA has 48. Each MP’s vote carries a value of 700.

In the state assembly, the ruling coalition now has 127 MLAs. The BJP has 77, JD(U) 45, HAM (S) four and one Independent.

In the opposition camp, RJD has 79 MLAs, Congress 19, CPI(ML) 12, CPI(M) and CPI two each.

Not being a member of the assembly, chief minister Nitish Kumar did not vote. He is a member of the Bihar Legislative Council. Former CM Rabri Devi also did not vote, as she is also a member of the Legislative Council. Several ministers of the Nitish Kumar cabinet, including health minister Mangal Pandey, water resources minister Sanjay Jha and building construction minister Ashok Choudhary, also could not vote, as they are members of the Upper House.

BJP’s Mithilesh Kumar, who was injured in a car mishap, came on an ambulance and was carried on a stretcher to vote.

JD(U)’s Damodar Rout, who was suffering from Covid-19, came to vote wearing a PPE kit.

After the voting, deputy CM Tarkishore Prasad said Murmu’s victory was certain.